Astros close to finalizing deal to move spring home to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Close to finalizing a deal to move their spring training home from Kissimmee, Fla., to Palm Beach Gardens, Astros officials visited some of the top spring training sites in Arizona last week to model their future Grapefruit League home.

“We’re down to the final approval with the city,” Astros owner Jim Crane told the Houston Chronicle. “The state’s approved the money.

“We went to Arizona to look at the best facilities last week. We’re getting down to where we’re getting ready to design it. It’s going to be a couple of years before it’s done, but the money’s getting in place and we’re getting ready to complete that transaction.”

The Astros have trained at Osceola County Stadium in Kissimmee since 1985. That lease expires in 2016.

Barring an unforeseen setback, the Astros and Toronto Blue Jays will share a facility in Palm Beach Gardens in the same manner the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals share a facility in Jupiter, Fla.

“It’s nothing against Kissimmee, but if you ask our guys our facility is 28th out of the ones that are out there,” Crane said. “It’s outdated. I think we’ll get all the final approvals no later than the fall. You can’t press city hall. If it was a business deal we’d be done with it by now, but they work at their pace.

“It’s a very positive environment down there for it, and the city wants to get it done. It requires zoning and some land they want to get in position. It’s a good location, and it will be better for everybody, the fans, the players, the traveling, all sorts of different things. For the media, the hotels are closer, better restaurants.”

In another important negotiation for the Astros, Crane continues to negotiate with distributors in hopes of making CSN available throughout Houston. Currently, only 40 percent of the city has access to the network.

“This TV deal will sort itself,” he said. “I feel bad that the fans haven’t watched a game, but we can’t cut a long-term bad deal. That’s really all I’m working on right now to get that resolved. I’m on the point in that. The buck stops with me on that deal. But we’ll get it resolved.”